No matter how long they play or which direction they travel, the idea of coming to Connecticut for a basketball game will always be exciting to Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart.

"To have the support from the fans and the state means a lot," Stewart said on a conference call Wednesday. "It's always exciting to come back here. Every time you do you see former teammates, players that are still on UConn's roster that you played with, coaches or friends that you've met over the course of years. It's one of those trips that you look forward to on the calendar."

On Thursday, Bird, Stewart, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and the Seattle Storm will be back at the Mohegan Sun Arena to play the Connecticut Sun.

For each team the game represents a chance to break out of a losing streak; both are 6-7 and have lost their last two. But for the Storm, the sting has been a little greater. They were bashed 100-70 at Washington on Tuesday.

"It's always a trip, along with New York, that I circle on the calendar," Bird said on the conference call. "I look forward to coming here, to connect with friends and family, but getting back to a state where both Stewie and I have such great memories of.

"The minute you board a plane headed to Hartford there's already UConn fans on the plane or there once you land. There was one woman recently who knew something big had happened [in the WNBA]. But she thought it was Jen Rizzotti who had hit the big shot. She just got the name wrong."

Bird was referring to Diana Taurasi becoming the WNBA's all-time scorer. Both Bird and Taurasi, who played together at UConn from 2000 to 2002, have won four Olympic gold medals.

Bird admitted the Storm have had their problems.

"Obviously, we've lost more than we've won and it speaks to the level of play for our team right now. It's not where we want it to be," Bird said. "We started the season well but have hit a little bit of a rut. I don't think the Washington game is the norm for us. It's not like we've been losing by that margin on a regular basis.

"We lost to a very good Washington team who is incredibly hot right now. I think playing at 9 a.m. West Coast time (Tuesday's game started at noon) doesn't really help things. But it's all a part of the game, playing in the WNBA. We're not happy with it. But I can tell you this, it's not the first time I've lost a game by that much and it won't be the last. I've been on the other side, too. And the one thing you learn as you go through a season is that it will happen to every team."

Stewart, the league's reigning rookie of the year, is second on the team in scoring (17.1) and leads it in rebounding (8.5). Bird is averaging 10.3 points and 7.5 assists and is nearing Ticha Penicheiro's league record for career assists.

Stewart, who helped lead the Huskies to four straight national championships, played in China this winter before hurting her knee. She returned home to rehab and came into the WNBA very well-rested.

"The fact that I had to cut my China season short gave me more time to rest and take care of my body," Stewart said. "I was ready for the WNBA season. It wasn't like last year when I came straight from winning the national championship into the WNBA season within a matter of weeks. I've had so much more time off than last year."

The Sun had a five-game winning streak snapped Sunday in Dallas and then lost again Tuesday to Los Angeles.

"It's good that we've been able to make a run, we just got to stay consistent," said Jonquel Jones, the WNBA's leading rebounder.

Both Jones (13 points, 17 rebounds) and Alyssa Thomas (13 points, 11 rebounds) registered double-doubles for the Sun during their 87-79 loss to the Sparks.

"Any time you get a chance to go again, play ball again, it's always good," Jones said. "The fact that it's coming up [Thursday] allows us to just focus on the next one. We still got to learn from it, though, we have to be able to get in the film room and learn from it, try to get better. We just got to be better."

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Witht he addition of the AAC games on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, the UConn women's basketball schedule is now set.

Witht he addition of the AAC games on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, the UConn women's basketball schedule is now set.

CAPTION

Witht he addition of the AAC games on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, the UConn women's basketball schedule is now set.

Witht he addition of the AAC games on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, the UConn women's basketball schedule is now set.

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On Friday, Sept. 8, Rebecca Lobo will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. Lobo's high school coach, Jim Vincent, a high school teammate, Marcy Coviello, and her father, Dennis Lobo, reflect on Lobo's formative years and all she has accomplished.

On Friday, Sept. 8, Rebecca Lobo will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. Lobo's high school coach, Jim Vincent, a high school teammate, Marcy Coviello, and her father, Dennis Lobo, reflect on Lobo's formative years and all she has accomplished.

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At the Haggar Enshrinement press conference at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. on Thursday, UConn women's basketball great Rebecca Lobo speaks about growing up just miles away from the hall of fame. Lobo is one of eleven inductees in the class of 2017 at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. The Enshrinement ceremony is Friday evening.

At the Haggar Enshrinement press conference at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. on Thursday, UConn women's basketball great Rebecca Lobo speaks about growing up just miles away from the hall of fame. Lobo is one of eleven inductees in the class of 2017 at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. The Enshrinement ceremony is Friday evening.

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UConn sophomore guard Crystal Dangerfield talks about lessons learned during her freshman year and advice she has for the four incoming freshmen.

UConn sophomore guard Crystal Dangerfield talks about lessons learned during her freshman year and advice she has for the four incoming freshmen.

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UConn rising junior Napheesa Collier emerged as an elite player during a breakout sophomore season, leading the team in scoring (20.4 points).

UConn rising junior Napheesa Collier emerged as an elite player during a breakout sophomore season, leading the team in scoring (20.4 points).